The field of the present invention generally relates to arcade-type machines.
Numerous arcade games exist to entertain the player. Most of these games involve a combination of skill and chance. Few of these games involve only skill. For example, an arcade may contain a basketball free throw shooting machine or punching machine. Of the minority of arcade games involving skill that can be found in today's arcades, only a small percentage of these reward a player with a particular prize. The epitome of such prize dispensing machines is the stalwart crane and claw device. This machine has a supply of potential prizes over which the player maneuvers a claw, releasing the claw in an attempt to grasp the prize. If the claw successfully grasps a prize, the claw retracts with the prize and deposits the prize in a prize dispensing slot.
Arcade game players enjoy prize dispensing machines because they are rewarded for their skill. However, the reason why arcades are not replete with these machines is because the owners of arcades understand all too well such machines' deficiencies. Take for example the above-identified crane and claw device. Arcade game owners know that they will have to stock and maintain a constant supply of prizes in the game itself. Not only does this require routine upkeep, but it presents another disadvantage in that the arcade game itself must be substantially large to hold all the prizes. In the alternative, the arcade game owner may dispense tokens or tickets to the player who can exchange them at a redemption center located in the arcade itself. This requires an operator during business hours to display the prizes and merchandise and distribute them on site. Such a system increases overhead while decreasing space which could be used for more arcade games.
Furthermore, arcade game owners usually cannot manipulate the typical prize dispensing machine to increase or decrease the skill level involved. Similar to the basketball free throw shooting machine, the skill level of the crane and claw device remains fixed. An arcade game player who can exert control over a game and master it will not be challenged and will not be a repeat customer. Therefore, a variable skill level arcade game that rewards the player for his increasing expertise, with a particular prize which need not be kept on location within the arcade itself, is desired.